Computer enclosure incorporating hood fastener

ABSTRACT

A computer enclosure includes a cage ( 10 ), a hood ( 20 ) and a fastener ( 30 ) securing the hood to the cage. The cage includes a rear wall ( 12 ) defining a breach ( 16 ) therein, and top and bottom walls ( 11, 15 ) each defining a number of splits ( 112 ). The hood includes a number of hooks ( 29 ) engaging with the splits, and defines an opening ( 22 ) to accommodating the fastener. The fastener includes an actuator ( 36 ) movably attached to the hood, a latch ( 34 ) connecting to the actuator and forming an extension portion ( 344 ) to engage with the rear wall. When the actuator is movably from a locked position to an unlocked position, the extension portion of the latch disengages from the rear wall and is moved away from the rear wall to cause the hood to be moved relative to the cage, thereby releasing the hooks from the splits.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to computer enclosures, and particularly to a computer enclosure having a hood readily attached thereto and detached therefrom by means of a fastener. The invention relates to contemporarily filed applications titled “COMPUTER ENCLOSURE WITH FASTENING DEVICE” and titled “COMPUTER ENCLOSURE WITH LATCH DEVICE”.

2. Description of the Related Art

A conventional personal computer enclosure generally includes a cage, a hood and a bezel. The cage is used to hold components such as a motherboard, interface cards, a power supply and disk drives. The cage is generally U-shaped, and comprises a base, a front panel and a rear panel. The hood is also U-shaped, and has a top panel and two opposite side panels depending from the top panel. The hood is slidably attached to the cage along rails formed on opposite sides of the cage, and then secured to the rear panel with screws. Finally, the bezel is mounted on the front panel.

However, securing the hood to the rear panel with screws is unduly cumbersome and time-consuming. Furthermore, it is difficult to simultaneously align both side edges of the hood with the respective rails of the cage.

Another kind of conventional hood is secured to a cage by means of engagement of locking catches of the hood with slots of the cage. However, disengaging this kind of hood from the cage is often laborious.

An improved computer enclosure which overcomes the above-mentioned problems is desired.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Correspondingly, an object of the present invention is to provide a computer enclosure which has a fastener for readily mounting a hood to the enclosure and readily removing the hood therefrom.

To achieve the above-mentioned object, a computer enclosure comprises a cage, a hood and a fastener securing the hood to the cage. The cage comprises a rear wall defining a breach therein, and top and bottom walls each defining a number of splits. The hood comprises a number of hooks engaging with the splits, and defines an opening to accommodating the fastener. The fastener comprises an actuator movably attached to the hood, a latch connecting to the actuator and forming an extension portion to engage with the rear wall. When the actuator is movably from a locked position to an unlocked position, the extension portion of the latch disengages from the rear wall and is moved away from the rear wall to cause the hood to be moved relative to the cage, thereby releasing the hooks from the splits.

Other objects, advantages and novel features of the present invention will be drawn from the following detailed description of a preferred embodiment of the present invention with the attached drawings, in which:

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is an exploded, isometric view of a computer enclosure in accordance with the present invention, the computer enclosure comprises a cage, a hood and a fastener, the fastener comprises a first cover, a latch, an actuator and a second cover;

FIG. 2 is an isometric view showing the fastener and a part of the cage of FIG. 1, but viewed from another aspect;

FIG. 3 is an assembled view of FIG. 2, showing the latch of the fastener in a locked position;

FIG. 4 is an similar to FIG. 3, but viewed from an upsidedown aspect;

FIG. 5 is similar to FIG. 3, showing the latch in an unlocked position.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, a computer enclosure in accordance with the present invention comprises a cage 10, a hood 20 and a fastener 30 attaching the hood 20 to the cage 10.

The cage 10 comprises a bottom wall 11, a rear wall 12, a side wall 13, a top wall 15 and a front wall (not labeled). A brim 14 is formed inwardly from one side of the rear wall 12. A breach 16 is defined in the rear wall 12 near the brim 14. A bent sheet 122 is folded back from one edge of the breach 16. A middle portion of the brim 14 is stamped inwardly to form a limiting portion 18, corresponding to the breach 16 and the bent sheet 122. A pair of flanges extends toward each other from the top wall 15 and the bottom wall 11, and defines a plurality of splits 112 therein.

The hood 20 is stamped inwardly to form a rectangular opening 22 in a rear portion thereof. A pair of L-shaped first retaining portions 24 is bent toward each other from the hood 20 at both side edges of the opening 22. An L-shaped second retaining portion 28 is bent from the hood 20 at a front edge of the opening 22. The first, second retaining portions 24-28 cooperatively define a mounting cavity therebetween for receiving the fastener 30 therein. A pair of fixing holes 26 is defined in each first retaining portion 24. A pair of retaining ends 27 is formed toward each other from the hood 20 at a rear end of the opening 22. A plurality of L-shaped hooks 29 extends perpendicularly from upper and lower side edges of the hood 20, corresponding to the splits 112 of the top wall 15 and the bottom wall 11.

The fastener 30 comprises a first cover 32, a latch 34, an actuator 36 and a second cover 38.

The first cover 32 defines a retaining hole 322 therein. Three tabs 324 are bent perpendicularly from three edges of the retaining hole 322.

The latch 34 comprises a fixing portion 342, a tongue-shaped extension portion 344 slantingly extending from one end of the fixing portion 342 and a curved finger-shaped elastic portion 346 formed at the other end of the fixing portion 342. Two posts 348 extend from each of opposite sides of the fixing portion 342. A protrusion 350 protrudes from the extension portion 344 near the fixing portion 342. A fixing end 352 is formed at a distal end of the extension protion 344, and parallel with the hood 20.

The actuator 36 comprises a rectangular base 362 and an operation portion 364 extending from one end of the base 362.

The second cover 38 is a rectangular plate with three bend (not labeled) extending from three sides thereof. Two fixing apertures 382 are defined respectively at both sides of the second cover 38, corresponding to the posts 348 of the latch 34.

Referring also to FIGS. 3 and 4, in assembly, the actuator 36 is placed between the posts 348 of the latch 34, with the operation portion 364 disposed out of the elastic portion 346. The combined latch 34 and actuator 36 is attached to the second cover 38. The posts 348 of the latch 34 are received in the fixing apertures 382 of the second cover 38. The combined latched 34, actuator 36 and second cover 38 is then attached to the first cover 32. The fixing portion 342 and the elastic portion 346 of the latch 34, and the operation portion 364 of the actuator 36 are received in the retainning hole 322 of the first cover 32. The combined first cover 32, latch 34, actuator 36 and second cover 38 is then accommodated in the opening 22 of the hood 20, with the posts 348 of the latch 34 received in the fixing holes 26 of the first retaining portions 24 of the hood 20 by means of welding or riveting. The first cover 32 is affixed to the hood 20. The operation portion 364 and the elastic portion 346 are barely received in the opening 22.

The combined hood 20 and fastener 30 is attached to the cage 10. The hooks 29 of the hood 20 are engaged in the splits 112 of the cage 10. The fixing end 352 of the latch 34 extends through the limiting portion 18 of the brim 14 of the rear wall 12, and abuts against the bent sheet 122 of the rear wall 12. The hood 20 is thereby prevented from moving backward. At this time, the actuator 36 is in an original position, which the base 362 of the actuator doesn't act on the extension portion 344. Thus, the hood 20 is securely attached to the cage 10.

Referring also to FIG. 5, in removing the hood 20, the operation portion 364 of the actuator 36 is pressed toward the elastic portion 346 of the latch 34. The elastic portion 346 is compressed, so the operation portion 364 of the actuator 36 is moved further rearward, so that the base 362 of the actuator 36 presses the protrusion 350 of the latch 34 outwardly. The fixing end 352 leaves the bent sheet 122 of the cage 10, and is in alignment with the breach 16 of the rear wall 12. The hood 20 is then moved rearward to release the hooks 29 from the splits 112 of the cage 10. Thus the hood 20 is easily taken out from the cage 10.

It is to be understood, however, that even though numerous characteristics and advantages of the present invention have been set forth in the foregoing description, together with details of the structure and function of the invention, the disclosure is illustrative only, and changes may be made in detail, especially in matters of shape, size, and arrangement of parts within the principles of the invention to the full extent indicated by the broad general meaning of the terms in which the appended claims are expressed. 

1. A computer enclosure comprising: a cage comprising a rear wall defining a breach therein, a top and a bottom wall comprising a first engaging means; a hood detachably secured on the cage, the hood comprising a mounting cavity, and a second engaging means engaging with the first engaging means; and a fastener attached in the mounting cavity of the hood, the fastener comprising a movable actuator, and a latch forming a slanted extension portion; wherein the actuator is movable between a first position in which the first engaging means engages with the second engaging means, and the extension portion of the latch abuts the rear panel, and a second position in which the actuator drives the extension portion to align with the breach of the rear panel, and the second engaging means is disengaged from the first engaging means.
 2. The computer enclosure in accordance with claim 1, wherein the first engaging means comprises a plurality of splits, and the second engaging means comprises a plurality of hooks.
 3. The computer enclosure in accordance with claim 1, wherein a brim is formed inwardly from one side of the rear wall.
 4. The computer enclosure in accordance with claim 3, wherein the breach is defined in the rear wall near the brim, with a bent sheet folded back from one edge of the breach, and a middle portion of the brim is stamped inwardly to form a limiting portion, corresponding to the breach.
 5. The computer enclosure in accordance with claim 1, wherein the mounting cavity comprises a pair of L-shaped first retaining portions at opposite sides thereof, and a second retaining portion at a front side thereof, therefore restricting the fastener therein.
 6. The computer enclosure in accordance with claim 5, wherein a fixing holes is defined in each of the first retaining portions, and a pair of retaining ends is formed from rear ends of the first retaining portions.
 7. The computer enclosure in accordance with claim 1, wherein the latch comprises a fixing portion, the extension portion slantingly extends from one end of the fixing portion.
 8. The computer enclosure in accordance with claim 7, wherein a curved finger-shaped elastic portion is formed at the other end of the fixing portion.
 9. The computer enclosure in accordance with claim 7, wherein two posts extend from each of opposite sides of the fixing portion.
 10. The computer enclosure in accordance with claim 7, wherein a protrusion protrudes from the extension portion near the fixing portion.
 11. The computer enclosure in accordance with claim 1, wherein the fastener further comprises a first cover and a second cover to retain the actuator and the latch therebetween.
 12. The computer enclosure in accordance with claim 11, wherein a retaining hole is defined in the first cover to receive an operation portion of the actuator, and three tabs are bent perpendicularly from three edges of the retaining hole, except a rear edge.
 13. The computer enclosure in accordance with claim 11, wherein the second cover defines two fixing apertures, corresponding to posts which depend from the latch.
 14. A computer enclosure comprising: a cage comprising a rear wall defining a breach therein; a hood slidingly mounted to the cage along a first direction perpendicular to the rear wall to be in a locked position and slidingly detachable from the cage along a second direction opposite to the first direction to be in an unlocked position; and a fastener comprising an actuator movably attached to the hood, and a latch forming an extension portion; wherein the latch is movable upon operation of the actuator between a holding position in which the extension portion engages with the rear wall of the cage and locks the hood in the locked position and a released position in which the extension portion is released from the rear wall to cause the hood to slide to the unlocked position.
 15. The computer enclosure in accordance with claim 15, wherein the extension portion of the latch forms a protrusion thereon.
 16. The computer enclosure in accordance with claim 16, wherein the actuator comprises a base slidingly pressing the protrusion when the actuator is pressed from the locked position to the unlocked position.
 17. A computer enclosure comprising: a cage defining two sides walls connected by a rear wall, the side walls defining at least one first engagement section and the rear wall defining a latching section; a hood defining a first latching section corresponding to the first engagement section, and a second latching section corresponding to the second engagement section; the second latching section including a resilient latch releasably engaged with second engagement section in back-and-forth directions under a condition that the first latching section is latched to the first engagement section in a vertical direction perpendicular to said back-and-forth directions, and a moveable actuator located around said resilient latch to disengage the latch from the second latching section so as to allow the hood to leave from the cage in the back-and-forth directions.
 18. The computer enclosure as claimed in claim 17, wherein said actuator is moveable along the back-and-forth directions.
 19. The computer enclosure as claimed in claim 17, wherein said first latching section is of an L-shaped configuration, and said hood is assembled to said cage with an L-shaped movement. 